The Strawberry and The Dragon, Original
by Black-Tortoise-of-the-North
Summary: What if Tatsuki had been visiting the night Rukia appeared and the hollow attacked, what if Ichigo wasn't the only one to gain shinigami powers that night. Adopted


Hello, it seems I am need of a disclaimer, oh here it is…

I do not own Bleach, the characters or the various worlds and landscapes, they are the property of Tite Kubo.

Quotes of the original manga were used but they belong to Tite Kubo and I have no intention of claiming tem as my own or trying to profit from it.

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**Karakura town, night**

A black swallow-tail butterfly flutters past the moon. Standing on top of a power pole is a raven-haired teenage girl wearing a black kimono, hakama and wielding a sword. She mutters to her self "I feel it… strange… I sense some enormous spirit energy…"

The mysterious black clad woman leaps off into the night.

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**Karakura town, day**

"What the…? You come here, stomp li'l Yama in the face and order us out like we was dogs" screams on skate boarder in anger, another skate boarder next to him shouts ou "You crazy punk. Got a death wish! Speak!" a young man in Karakura High uniform with bright orange hair looks back at the skateboarders with a frown on his face but remains silent. This only infuriates the skateboarders further as one charges screaming at high school student but is topped suddenly when Ichigo kicks him in the face and proceeds to stomp on him. The remaining skate boarders back away from the orange-heads violence. Suddenly Ichigo shouts out pointing to a knocked over vase of flowers "All of you chumps, look at that!"

"Question one" calls out Ichigo "what's that? You smelly looking dude! You tell me!" the aforementioned smelly one answers "an offering for some dead kid?". The smelly one is then knocked to the ground by a powerful kick to the head by Ichigo. "Check out the brain on smelly!" cries the Ichigo.

"Question two" the orange head turns slowly to another skate boarder "why is that vase…lying on its side?" the skateboarders look at each other warily before answering "datz cuz we knocked it over with out skate boards." Ichigo glowers "is that so," he points over his shoulder "THEN YOU BETTER APLOGISE TO **HER** HADN'T YOU!" Beside Ichigo, the apparition of a bloody young girl appears. The skate boarders let out various high pitch screams and apologies as they run off.

Ichigo apologises to the ghost of the girl when a voice calls out "Jeez Ichigo, keep getting violent like that and people really will think you are a delinquent". Ichigo turns around to see his child-hood friend Tatsuki standing behind him with an amused smirk. "hello nee-chan" says the ghost of the young girl "hello again Yuki-chan" replies Tatsuki "don't worry, I reckon Ichigo scared off those punks for good, now be a good girl and cross over" Ichigo just scoffs and starts to walk off, Tatsuki and Ichigo bid the girl good-bye as they walk off.

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**Kurosaki Clinic**

Ichigo opens the front door of his house and is greeted by his fathers foot in his face as his father scolds him for being late, Isshin looks up to see an amused Tatsuki entering behind Ichigo "Oh hey Tatsuki how are ooph" says Isshin but is cut off as Ichigo strikes him back "Jerk!" Ichigo yells, "Is that how you greet your son who just helped a ghost find peace" "No excuses!" retorts Isshin "The rules of my house are iron! You break em you gotta bleed!"

Isshin and Ichigo continue to fight as Yuzu, Karin and Tatsuki watch on, Tatsuki sits down next to Karin with a sigh and explains that she and Ichigo had homework to complete and that Ichigo said that she might as well come over for dinner.

Yuzu calls out to both men trying to get them to stop "let them fight Yuzu-chan" says Tatsuki "Yeah, leaves more for us" responds Karin.

"Oh Tatsuki, I think you have a new 'friend' with you?" chirps Yuzu, Tatsuki's head whips round to see a ghost of a middle-aged man hovering behind her "Dammit!" cries Tatsuki "Ichigo and I exercise one and another latches on. Crap!" "you two see them, talk to them, touch them and channel them" comments Karin "a quadruple threat… must be a pain for you two to be in so high demand" "but you know" says Yuzu "we're bound to be a little envious of Onee-san and Tatsuki-chan. They're just blurry shapes to me" Yuzu trails off mumbling how she would love to see one clearly.

"Not me" retorts Karin "I don't believe in ghosts" Yuzu looks confused and questions Karin how can she not believe in them when she can see them "I'm in permanent denial" responds Karin " if I refuse to believe in them then they don't exist"

Everyone else in the room shivers at Karin's cold response.

Yuzu, Karin and Tatsuki begin to discuss plans about ghost picnics earning a cry from Ichigo "Dammit you three! Your not making money of me and Tatsuki!" "Why not?" asks Tatsuki, 'it's better than getting a part time job and doesn't interfere with karate practice" while Ichigo is momentarily distracted, Isshin takes the opportunity to jump on him and twists his son into a head lock. Ichigo growls in anger before throwing his father off him and storming up to his room. Tatsuki reluctantly puts her dinner down and follows him as Karin tells off an oblivious Isshin.

"Ichigo has been under lots of pressure lately. He told me more ghosts than ever have been haunting him. He's fed up," says an annoyed Yuzu.

"What?" Isshin exclaims "he talks about stuff like that with you. That boy why doesn't he come to **me** with his problems" Karin just looks at her father "are you serious?" she asks "I wouldn't bring my problems to you either. Your over 40 yet you posses the emotional maturity of a pre-schooler"

Isshin is cut by his daughter's remarks and begins crying beneath a poster of his late wife whinging that their children treat him like dirt.

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**Ichigo's room**

"Hey Ichigo, did you leave a window open?" asks Tatsuki pointing to a black swallowtail butterfly fluttering around his room. The two teens watch the butterfly with interest when the notice a black hole appearing above Ichigo's desk. A raven-haired girl dressed in black kimono and hakama emerges and steps down onto the floor lightly. "What the?" Ichigo utters.

"Its close" states the raven-haired girl

Ichigo kicks the girl in the arse as Tatsuki strikes her over the head "how's that for close jerk-off!" cries Ichigo

"Psh your pretty cocky for a burglar aintcha" shouts Tatsuki

"What's close? The safe? Is that burglar speak or something?" demands Ichigo

The raven haired-girl lays on the floor in confusion for a moment

"You can see me? And you both hit me?" "Heck yeah we can see you" states Tatsuki, her annoyance clearly visible. A large crash is heard as Isshin bursts through the door yelling at Ichigo "Quiet boy! Stop jumping around up here! And how many times have I told you not to close your door if there's a girl in your room even if its Tatsuki," shouts an irate Isshin, Tatsuki just mutters to herself "even if its Tatsuki, what's that supposed to mean?"

Ichigo on the otherhand strikes Isshin back yelling that he was subduing an intruder and pointing directly at the raven-haired girl wearing black samurai clothing. "look at who?" asks Isshin, "the chick in the samurai garb" says Tatsuki, "its no use," says the girl "normal people can't see me. I'm a soul reaper."

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A large masked monster sniffs the air "much spirit energy is near, so tasty" it says at it heads off in the direction of the spirit energy.

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**Kurosaki household**

Downstairs Yuzu is comforting an upset Isshin while upstairs.

Tatsuki, Ichigo and the unnamed soul-reaper are sitting a round a small table. "So that's your story…you're a soul-reaper and you came to this world from this '_soul society_' thing, place. To vanquish an evil spririt. That makes sense…" says Ichigo as Tatsuki watches his eyebrow twitch knowing that it signalled an outburst "ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR FREAKING MIND!" exclaims Ichigo knocking over the table as he jumps up. "You insolent… you two can see ghosts and yet you don't believe in soul-reapers" exclaims the confused soul-reaper "Of course not, this is the first time we've seen a supposed soul-reaper" says Tatsuki looking warily at the other girl. "Yeah, I don't believe in anything I haven't seen with my own peepers," says Ichigo "but since my dad didn't see you your probably not living, so go play 'soul-reaper somewhere else or better hurry up and cross over. You got that you little snot?"

A large vein becomes visible on the soul-reaper's forehead, "you dare talk to me that way. Binding spell 1, SAI!" shouts the soul-reaper as Ichigo is forced to the floor by an unseen power. Tatsuki demands to know what the hell happened as she swings her fist striking the soul-reaper on the cheek which sends the her flying across the room. The soul-reaper repeats the spell binding Tatsuki as well, the soul-reaper is annoyed at Tatsuki and proceeds to jab the bound girl with her foot. "You dam crazy girl! What did you do?" demands Ichigo as Tatsuki struggles to break what ever is binding her and hit the soul-reaper a few more times as revenge for the foot jabs. The sou-reaper only chuckles "It's useless to struggle" she says gloating over Tatsuki "This is Kido, the demon way. A high level spell known only to soul-reapers. Despite my appearance, I have lived ten of your lives. Yet you called me a little snot. I would kill insolent fools like you but the provisional spirit law forbids unauthorised execution." The soul-reaper struts around the room to both teenager's annoyance, before haughtily continuing "I will let you off with a minor case of paralysis this time. Be grateful you little snots!" she draws her sword as she stands over Ichigo, Tatsuki shouts at the girl not harm him but the soul-reaper ignores her and strikes the ghost laying beside Ichigo with the handle of her sword. Light envelops the ghost as it disappears and a black butterfly is seen flying off. "don't worry," says the soul-reaper "I sent him to the soul-society, I performed a konso, the soul funeral. You call it passing over. It is one of the duties of all soul-reapers."

Tatsuki and Ichigo can only look up at the soul-reaper as she concludes that they now believe her. She grabs Tatsuki and drags her over next to Ichigo despite Tatsuki's insistence to leave her alone. "now, in this realm there are two types of souls," says the soul-reaper pulling out a sketch book and pointing to the first page as she explains 'wholes' or normal spirits while indicating to the second drawing as she explains the 'hollows' or evil spirits. After she finishes explaining the two souls she asks them if they have any questions, "yeah," says Tatsuki "why do your drawings suck," Ichigo sniggers which, turns into out right laughter as the soul-reaper draws a moustache on Tatsuki's face. The soul reaper then goes on to explain the duties of soul reapers to help wholes pass on and to defeat and purify hollows.

"Wait" says Ichigo "does that mean there is a hollow around here somewhere?" the soul-reaper nods in confirmation, "well don't just stand there" exclaims Tatsuki, "go kill the dam thing instead of talking to us, and let us go dammit!" "I haven't been able to sense its presence for some time" the soul-reaper responds, both Ichigo and Tatsuki stiffen when they hear a loud roar of an unkown monster, the soul-reaper continues to ponder aloud why she can't sense the hollow. Both teens try to get her attention when a second roar is heard, this time the soul reaper hears it. The soul-reaper is shocked to the core questioning how the two teens had sensed the hollow before her and why did her senses fell dulled even as if some unseen filter was blocking her senses. A scream tears through the room. The soul-reaper dashes for the door ripping it open and is assaulted by the strong presence of the hollow. "Hey that's Yuzu!" cries Ichigo "let us go dammit, what was that noise" yells Tatsuki both teens struggling against their binds with varying success. They look up to see Karin struggling to crawl "good, it hasn't come this way… it happened so fast, dad's back exploded and he fell, then it went for Yuzu, I had to warn you two… I didn't get a good look, I don't think they could see it" says Karin as she slips into unconsciousness. Ichigo shakes in rage as the spell breaks freeing him, the soul-reaper and Tatsuki look on in shock as Ichigo hurries out of the room passing the shocked soul-reaper and grabbing a bat on his way. Tatsuki redoubles her efforts in breaking free as the Soul-reaper runs after Ichigo leaving the teenage girl alone.

Ichigo dashes into the ruined kitchen to see his dad laying on the floor in a small puddle of blood, through the collapsed wall he can see a monstrous figure. Ichigo freezes when he sees it and notices the large hole in its chest, he then notices that it is holding his sister Yuzu and charges out to take it on only to be struck down by the hollow. The hollow goes to strike him again when the Soul-reaper appears and cuts the hollow deeply in it arm. The hollow throws Yuzu in rage but the teen girl is caught by Tatsuki as the teen girl emerges from the ruined house, Ichigo looks fearfully at Yuzu cradled in Tatsuki's arms "Stay calm boy!" cries the soul-reaper with her sword held in front of her, "the hollow hasn't eaten your family's souls yet, not even your fathers." Both Ichigo and Tatsuki relax, Tatsuki continues to hold onto Yuzu tightly.

"Hollows are drawn to high levels of spirit energy, but they also attack opportunistically," Says the soul reaper as she stares down the wounded hollow. "I have never known a human that could see a soul-reaper let alone two humans, or some one who could break a binding spell like you two have. I've never heard of humans having such strong spirit levels as you two do… I believe it was looking for both of you"

"All this is cause of me" says Ichigo as he clenches his fists "my dad's dieing, Karin and Yuzu are hurt, all of this because" "Wait Ichigo, its not just you it was after!" yells Tatsuki "that isn't what I meant" yells the soul-reaper monetarily distracted doesn't notice that the hollow has snuck up. Tatsuki runs toward the soul-reaper shouting a warning as the hollow charges and strikes them sending both girls flying into a wall.

Ichigo charges at the hollow and stops directly in front of it "hey ugly, you want my soul? Then fight me like a man and forget the others, its me you want so kill me!" cries Ichigo. The hollow goes to bite Ichigo instead biting down on the soul reaper, she twists her sword so that it cuts the hollows' mouth so that it frees her. It retreats to a distance as it nurses its wound while the Tatsuki help the soul reaper over to a wall and helps her sit up.

"Fool" says the soul-reaper "Ichigo you idiot!" yells Tatsuki "did you really think that the montser hollow thing would have left me and your family alone if you sacrificed yourself. Of course NOT!, it would have just attacked me or miss soul-reaper next" the soul-reaper turns to Ichigo "I fear I can't console either of you, I am too badly injured to fight, its only a matter of time now until we are all its food" she says wearily.

"Do you wish to save your family?" the female soul-reaper asks "tell me!" shouts Ichigo and Tatsuki in unison "there is a way, actually there is only one way, you must become a soul reaper" she raises her sword and aims it directly at Ichigo "what! How can Ichigo become a soul-reaper?" demands Tatsuki, "place the point of my zanpakuto over your heart and I will infuse you with half of my soul-reaper powers. You will temporarily have the powers of a soul reaper, to give you a chance against the hollow" explains the soul-reaper. "Can you really do that?" asks Ichigo as Tatsuki watches him silently "I don't know, perhaps because your soul is so powerful, but the chance of success is low, and if we fail, we will all die. But there is now other way"

"Ichigo…" moans the injured Yuzu "danger"

'_My sisters, worry about me when they were in danger, Dad might be dying and Tatsuki is hurt. To consider my own safety now, I'd just be a jerk'_ thinks Ichigo to himself. "Hey soul-reaper, give me your sword, we'll try your plan" "my name isn't soul-reaper, its Rukia, Kuchiki Rukia" Tatsuki turns to see the Hollow barrelling down the road towards them "HURRY!" she shouts, she turns to see Rukia aim the sword at Ichigo's heart, Tatsuki freezes for a moment before she feels her legs dragging her forward.

Rukia's and Ichigo's eyes widen as Rukia's sword pierces Tatsuki's back and continues through piercing Ichigo through his own heart "Tatsuki…why?" stammers Ichigo "you never beat me in Karate, can't let a weak cry baby do everything on his own" she replies before placing a feather light kiss on his lips. A glow surrounds both teens as Rukia watches on in horror as both teens absorb all of her powers.

An explosion of light erupts. The hollow blinks as the light blinds it not realising that both its arms were cut off. It howls in rage and pain as it arms drop to the ground. It turns to see Ichigo and Tatsuki both wearing soul-reaper uniforms and wielding a sword. Ichigo's is a large oversized Katana while Tatsuki is wielding a Daito.

Rukia looks on in awe, '_I meant only for half but they took all of my powers, it must be because there were two of them, the girl Tatsuki interrupted the process and took my powers as well. But this sensation, earlier I couldn't sense the hollow's presence, my senses were being jammed, the room was filled with their combined spirit energy_.' Thinks Rukia '_I have never known of a human that could see a soul reaper, I've never heard of a human that could break a binding spell, but tonight I met two'_

"This is for attacking my family!" cries Ichigo as he cleaves the hollow cleanly down the middle of its head as Tatsuki cuts it in half at its waist screaming "you fish faced freak!" hollow disappears in particles of light as it fades into nothingness.

Ichigo "Strawberry" Kurosaki, 15 years old

Hair: Orange

Eyes: Brown

Tatsuki "Dragon" Arisawa, 15 years old

Hair: Black

Eyes Brown

Occupation:

High School Students/ SOUL REAPERS

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Hello

I hope you enjoyed it, my apologies if it used too many lines from the actual manga but I felt that it needed to be close to the original just with Tatsuki's presence included.

Regards

Shelly


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